One More Kiss
by LouiseX
Summary: Short and fluffy random W/L fic
1. Chapter 1

**One More Kiss**

 **Disclaimer:** I make no money from these fics and recognise the sole rights of the original creators to do so.

 **Summary:** Short and fluffy random W/L fic

 **A/N:** Happy New Year!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Great." Linka huffed, "Perfect."

Wheeler, lowered the ring he'd been using to communicate with Ma-Ti and regarded his companion warily. "What?"

"You just had to volunteer us to go and get the camp set up, and now the others are not even going to be joining us." She glared.

"That's not what he said," the American sighed. "He said they're running late because Ranger Chang had an emergency call, and they might not be able to set out until morning. It's not their fault and they will still need the camp set up, 'cos we're gonna be out here for days."

Linka's voice rose, "Do not remind me!"

"Geez Babe, what is your problem?"

"I do not like setting up tents and I do not much like sleeping on the ground. It is one thing when we all have to do it but if you had not insisted that we come on ahead we could have stayed in town and had proper beds, at least for one more night." She pointed up at the sky that showed between the canopy of leaves, "it is going to rain."

He rubbed a hand through his hair. "It made sense. They didn't need us and if they get up here late, they can just settle in. I was just trying to help."

"You were just trying to get me alone!"

"Can't think why," he mumbled and then made another attempt at peace. "I'll put the tents up ok?"

Linka shrugged.

"Why are you making such a fuss? Normally you're too busy being 'Little Miss Self-sufficient' to even ask for help with the single thing you suck at. And it's not like you've never been alone with me before, don't you trust me all of a sudden?"

"Do not be ridiculous."

"What then?" When she didn't respond he caught her arm and gently but firmly turned her towards him, ignoring her protest about wasting time, "Linka, talk to me."

She looked away and shifted uncomfortably. "I do not like being in a tent in the rain."

"They're waterproof..."

"I know that!" She snapped, and then relented. "I am not normally claustrophobic but the rain creates a barrier, I feel like I am trapped in a tiny space. It also deadens all noise except the wind, until it feels like I am the only one left alive. It is cold and isolated and I hate it, but go ahead and tell me that I am being stupid or whatever. And let us move on, I do not need to be soaked through as well."

She pulled away and hurried on, Wheeler following in silence. The Russian actually found it a little unnerving that he wasn't teasing her and she was glad when they reached their chosen campsite.

It didn't take Wheeler long to set up the tents, and it gave Linka a chance to check on their supplies, check the quality of the water in the local stream and warm up some soup over a camping stove.

"It's going to rain soon, we should eat that inside." It was the first thing Wheeler had said since she'd stormed off and it was obvious that it made her uncomfortable, but then he surprised her. "I don't think you were being stupid... I don't like being on my own either. You said you trusted me?"

She finally looked up at him, a questioning look in her eyes.

"I put all the tents up, so you can use yours if you want, but I put all our stuff in mine." He watched her closely, "I can move it, I just thought... I thought it wouldn't be so bad if we were together, you know?" Then he added quickly, "This has nothing to do with me wanting to be alone with you, I swear."

There was a long pause and then a drop of rain plopped into the pan of soup.

Linka nodded and they moved together to get out of the wet.

* * *

They sat crossed legged at either end of the tent, Wheeler nearest the zipped up entrance. Not that they were far apart, it was a spacious one man tent but it was definitely not designed for two.

Wheeler had put a solar light on one of the roof struts so it wasn't dark, and it was even beginning to warm up with the two of them in there.

Eating the soup in silence, Linka kept her eyes on her meal but her companion found himself watching her.

"I'm not making you feel trapped am I?" He asked cautiously, "I know I'm kinda barring the exit..."

A small smile flickered over Linka's lips but she answered without looking up, "Nyet, you are keeping the drafts out."

After a moment he laughed, "Gee thanks Babe, glad you finally found a use for me."

Linka chuckled with him, looking up at last as she put her empty bowl to the side. Before she could say anything however, Wheeler jumped in again, "well I'm going to go straight for use number two, I've been practicing..."

"Practicing what exactly?"

He'd put his equally empty bowl with hers and was rummaging around in the supply bag, finally pulling out a bag of marshmallows and holding it up triumphantly, "dessert!"

The Russian shook her head, "you cannot put the stove on in here."

"Who said anything about a stove?" He grinned. He already had one of the sweet treats mounted on the toasting fork. Lifting his hand to point his right fist at it he said, "fire", making a small beam of red shoot out towards the end of the fork.

"Bozhe moy'!" Linka almost squealed, "Are you crazy? If you miss we will have a hole in the tent, assuming it does not just burst into flames, besides it is mis-using your powers and you cannot toast it properly like that anyway..."

Unperturbed, he held the browned treat towards her, "try it."

When she hesitated he said, "I told you, I've been practicing, and for your information Gaia knows when we use our rings and she's never complained about me using it for everyday stuff. It's also the reason why I won't miss. You and Kwame take the whole thing way too seriously sometimes."

He was still waving the stick in front of her face and she gave in, taking the toasted mallow and then nearly dropping it like a hot potato. After juggling it for a few moments she finally got to taste it and, "mmm... that is really good."

"Told ya," Wheeler grinned, he was already working on a second.

* * *

"So, you got any good campfire stories?"

Linka shook her head, "I usually leave making up stories to you and Gi."

"I'm not talking about made up stories, come on, there must be some local legends from your home town?"

"In the mines," she nodded, "they say you can sometimes hear the spirits of the men that died down there."

Wheeler stilled, "am I being insensitive?"

"Nyet?" She took the mallow he was offering and blew on it, "Oh, do you mean because of my Papa?"

He nodded and she smiled, shaking her head, "he would tell us ghost stories, but I think it was to stop us trying to explore the old tunnels."

Smiling softly he asked, "Did it work?"

"I am not sure I ever wanted to go in them but, da I would not have ventured too far if I did." She thought for a moment and then said, "my Grandmuska saw a ghost when she was a little girl."

"Yeah?"

Seeing that she had her friend's full attention, Linka continued, "it is not much of a story really, you could probably make it sound spookier but I can just tell you the facts. She used to play in the ruins of an old church, she thinks it was destroyed during the revolution a few years earlier but she is not sure. They moved a couple of years after so she is not even sure where it was, but her memories from that day are quite clear."

Wheeler was still giving her that 'I love listening to you look' that never failed to bring a blush to her cheeks.

"It was sunny and she was running between the old headstones when she heard someone crying. More than the roof was gone but the foundations were still taller than her so she could not see who it was. She walked up to where the main entrance was and for a moment she was blinded by sparkling colours as the sunlight shone through the remnants of a stained glass window, but as her eyes grew accustomed she saw a little girl standing in front of the alter... and she could see the alter, through the girl."

"Woah."

Linka nodded at Wheeler's hushed response. "The girl was dressed in old fashioned clothing, and while Grandmuska watched, still too surprised to speak, she appeared to hear something in the distance that frightened her and she ran out through the private side of the church. My grandmother called to her then to wait, and followed her through the ruins but she was gone. She went back several times but she never saw the little girl again."

"Cool story!" The American shivered, "I think it was scarier for the lack of drama."

She laughed, "how about you toast me another mallow, and then it is your turn to tell a tale."

Wheeler obliged her with the first part of her request but said, "I don't have anything to compare, I can tell you old camp-fire legends but I don't believe in any of them."

"So you are not going to try to creep me out so that I will snuggle up with you later to feel safe?" She teased, and then thanked him as he offered her the snack.

Shaking his head, Wheeler met her eyes, "Babe believe me, there's nothing I want more than to have you cuddling up in my arms, but if that happens the last thing I want is for you to be afraid... of anything."

Their locked gaze lingered until the mood was broken by a loud crash of thunder, making them both jump. "Bozhe moy'! I do not think you will be getting everything you want tonight, Yankee."

"Does the storm bother you?" He asked, clearly surprised, and when she nodded and closed her eyes - trying to block out another more distant rumble - "how about we get under the covers then? It might not be our night for getting cosy but at least I can keep you warm and safe."

Linka had an urge to ask him how he thought he could protect her from a thunderstorm but for once she curbed her over analytical tendencies and just said "ok".

 **To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Getting ready for bed in a tiny space took a little manoeuvring, and the fact that they both saw the funny side just made it more difficult.

Wheeler opted to sleep in his jeans, just taking his t-shirt off. Linka however was conscious that she didn't have many changes of clothes and didn't want to sleep in her uniform.

There was no need for Linka to ask for privacy when she changed into her pyjama shorts and shirt as her underwear covered as much as any of her swimsuits, and she didn't take her bra off until her new top was in place... but she couldn't help notice that Wheeler jerked his head away several times as he found himself watching her.

She pretended not to notice of course but the attention warmed her whole body.

Then they had to arrange the sleeping bags and get into them, and there was simply no way of doing that without contact.

"This didn't use to be so hard," Wheeler said, laughing as he tried to make himself shorter but finding his limbs uncooperative.

Linka was giggling uncontrollably as he leant sideways behind her and then tried to find the gap in the sleeping bag with his bare feet. She reached over to help, and he wriggled back down.

She didn't move away quick enough however and as he reached for the zip their heads banged together. "Oh God Babe, I'm sorry!"

"Ow," she was still laughing, "just lay down, I will tuck you in."

"Ok." He grinned - rubbing his head - and laid back, but he had to bend his knees so he was partially on her side of the tent.

When she had them both zipped in, her back to him so that she could fit her shape to his, he pulled a blanket over them both and left his arm resting over her waist underneath it.

"The storm is getting worse," Linka said quietly as the rain and wind got louder.

"Yeah," he kissed the back of her head, "I'm glad we're not alone."

"Me too."

They lay there silently for a while listening to the sounds outside the tent, but eventually Linka said, "I am sorry Yankee, for earlier, blaming you for stranding me out here with the weather."

"There's nothing to apologise for."

"Da, there is. I overreacted."

He was quiet for a few moments and she was a little worried, but finally he said, "You were right though - not about the weather, I didn't know about that - but I did volunteer you to get you alone." Adding quickly, "I wasn't going to do anything creepy or anything, I just like spending time with you when it's just the two of us. It doesn't happen often."

She didn't say anything.

"It was fun though, right? I'm not imagining that?" He sounded like he expected the worst and that prompted her to respond.

Rolling onto her back and turning her head to look at him, "of course it was fun, it always is." She bit bottom lip nervously obviously debating whether to continue, and then deciding to go ahead. "I knew what you were doing, I could have gotten out of it. I wanted to spend time with you too… alone."

"Yeah?" His whole face lit up and it made her smile as she nodded.

Wheeler's eyes travelled to her lips and back, a question in them. She nodded again, more shyly this time, and then tilted her face to meet him as he brought their lips together.

Linka had kissed Wheeler before but it had always been rushed, a stolen moment easily explained away. This time was different not just because it was a slow and thorough exploration, but because she had openly admitted to wanting the contact, allowing them both the space to let it develop naturally.

Neither knew how long the first kiss lasted, and since they were reluctant to part even for air, it seemed to merge almost seamlessly with the second and third.

At last however, Linka shifted uncomfortably beneath her admirer and caused him to roll away as she muttered, "it is like being in a straightjacket."

"Sorry... I didn't mean to trap you."

He sounded worried and maybe a little hurt but the Russian laughed, "not you durak, the sleeping bag. Come back over here."

Wheeler laughed and did as she asked, affection shining in his eyes as she added, "I kept trying to put my arms around you but I cannot like this."

She wriggled her arms free so that she could put them round his neck, and then pulled the blanket up as best she could but still shivering a little. "That will have to do."

Bringing their lips together briefly, Wheeler made another suggestion, "we could always zip the sleeping bags together? It would give us both a bit more room... and more contact."

"...Ok," her hesitation had been slight but the American didn't miss it.

As they began rearranging their bed he said, "Thank you for trusting me, I know it's probably not always that easy given my background."

"Da, you have a lot more experience than I do... and probably greater expectations."

His surprise registered on his face and he stopped her fumbling with a zip by covering her hand in his, "that wasn't the background I meant... is that really what bothers you? That I might be expecting... too much?"

She didn't answer, but kept her eyes on their joined hands.

"Babe, seriously, you hold all the cards here!"

"Then it is a shame that I do not know the rules of the game." She replied softly, her voice almost a whisper. "I do trust you, but sometimes we do not speak the same language. I do not want to mislead you and mess this up... whatever this is."

Wheeler's face softened and he gently removed her fingers from the zip, finishing the job himself and pulling her down into a tender embrace. She went willingly but he could feel some nervousness in her frame. "Are you ready to turn the light off?"

"Da." She waited while he did that and tidied the blanket back over them, then cuddled into him as she had wanted to do.

"For the record, as far as I'm concerned, 'whatever this is', is the start of something special." he told her, "So, I'm going to kiss you goodnight and then we're going to get some sleep, and then tomorrow you're going to kiss me good morning and we'll take it from there. Ok?"

He couldn't see her but he could hear the smile in her voice, "Da."

Their embrace was more than simply 'goodnight' and it lingered - since neither was in a rush to end it - but they did finally settle down to sleep, safe and secure in each others arms.

 **To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Linka gave a little cry and tried to sit up, struggling in her distress when she found she could not. Her heart was thumping violently whilst her sleep addled brain tried to make sense of her surroundings, even as the thunder that had awakened her rumbled around the mountains again.

Fortunately Wheeler didn't sleep deeply when they were away from home and it had woken him too. "Woah Babe, s'okay, s'just me!"

She shivered violently and clung to him for a moment before trying to distance herself, "I am sorry..."

"Hey, no." He pulled her back to him and held her tightly, "no apologies."

"It is childish, I need to learn to deal with it like an adult." Despite her words she cuddled back into him, burying her face in his neck.

Wheeler kissed her head, still trying to wake up properly, "someone say that to you?"

"...My brother."

"Didn't think it sounded like your Gram."

A smiled laced her voice, "Da, she would let me sleep with her and tell me that my father was like that as a small child. Papa once told me that my mother was the opposite, that she would be more likely to want to go out and watch the lightening and dance in the rain."

Wheeler chuckled, "I think there's some of that spirit in you too Babe, but you dance with the wind instead."

"I like that," she lifted her head and let her lips drift over his jaw until she found his mouth.

Wheeler kissed her back, ramping up the intensity tenfold, and when they parted he made her chuckle by replying, "I like _that!_ I'm serious Babe, I don't just mean how it feels - which is epic by the way - I mean I like that you did it, that you're not just giving in to me, you know?"

She wasn't sure he realised that his hands were still roaming freely over her back and side even though their kiss had ended, but it was a gentle and loving caress so rather than stop him, she ran her own hands over his well sculpted bare chest, in the limited space between them.

"I have wanted to kiss you since we first met," she confessed in a whisper, "and to... do other things. But I... I am just not the sort of person who can let go and be heedless of the consequences."

"You don't have to be, we'll figure everything out together. You and me belong together, you know that, right?" He placed kisses on her neck, making her shiver as he found a sensitive spot.

Linka sighed, and turned her head to press a kiss to his head. "I want to believe you."

"You can Beautiful, I promise." His hands had found their way inside her top and we're driving her bare skin crazy, staying just short of where, in that moment, she most wanted them. "The super smart thing is sexy as hell but for once you need to stop over-analysing. Trust me, trust yourself."

His lips were still teasing her neck and shoulders in between words which made pushing him away extremely hard. He fell silent, his disappointment palpable even though he didn't voice it. He did however gasp in shock when instead of moving away, she wriggled out of her top and traced the length of his arm to bring his hand back to her breast.

She sought out his mouth once more, encouraging him to continue, and he quickly took the hint. The touch of his skin set hers on fire, the effect rippling throughout her whole body and coalescing in an ache at her core.

Linka wrapped a leg around his and pulled herself close in an effort to find some relief and Wheeler responded by pressing back into her, rolling her beneath him.

Each little step led to another, increasing the intensity of the encounter, but when her fingers found the zipper of his jeans, Wheeler rolled away, breathing hard.

"We need to cool this now Babe, or being a gentleman might actually kill me!"

His statement was met with giggles, and though she let him retreat, Linka moved close enough again to lay her head on shoulder and hold his hand.

They lay in silence for a few moments before Linka said, "You are going home straight after this mission, da? For your friend?"

"Damn! Trish's engagement party, I completely forgot!" He squeezed the Russian's hand, "it's not home though, home is where you are." He sighed, "I'm sorry Babe, this is terrible timing."

"There is never a good time for us, that is part of being a Planeteer, it is OK." She sounded a little troubled however and it prompted Wheeler to make another suggestion.

"Come with me?"

Linka kissed his shoulder, "Spasiba, but I do not want to intrude."

"Why would you be intruding?" He looped his arm so that he could hold her closer. "Ma would love to meet you, and Dad... actually Dad will probably say something completely inappropriate and racist but you could ignore that, right?"

She gave a small laugh, "Da... I was thinking that Trish might object more than your parents."

"Why should she?" Wheeler spoke quietly and seriously, "Babe, Trish is my friend, yeah we kinda dated for a while but that's been over a long time, for both of us."

Linka sighed, "for you perhaps, you have a big heart and can love easily. I do not think you would be that easy to get over."

He laughed, "I hope you're talking about yourself there and not Trish, for my sake and hers... and Bud's!"

"Who is Bud?"

"The guy she's marrying." His voice took on a teasing note and he tickled her side, making her squirm. When she stopped laughing, he said, "Honest Linka, Trish won't mind having you there, she knows I love you, she'll be happy that we're finally together."

When she didn't respond he prompted her, "Babe?"

Her voice was hushed, a breathless whisper. "You told Trish that you... you _love_ me?"

"No, I'm telling _you_ that I love you." He said, before the humour returned to his voice, "I talked about you so much to Trish she said, 'Ok Wheeler, I get it, the sun shines out of her ass!' And she knows me well enough to know it's not just some dumb crush, so yeah she knows."

"Oh."

"Don't go all quiet on me, it can't be that much of a shock. I kinda thought you knew me better than that too?" He sounded worried.

Linka lifted her head and pressed her lips to his neck in a gesture of comfort, "I knew, I think. I just was not sure that it was not wishful thinking." His arms wrapped tightly around her and she added, "I was not expecting you to say it tonight either."

"Do you remember what we did the last time we were alone?"

"We watched a football match and you explained the rules while we were waiting for the others to bring back dinner." She replied without hesitation.

He kissed her head, "it was a soccer game and you already knew the rules, you just didn't tell me. Gi did when they got back."

"You enjoyed telling me what was going on with the _football_ match, so I let you," she shrugged. "Is there a point to this?"

"It was terrible game in a crappy motel, after a back-breaking day and I knew the burgers would taste like cardboard if we were lucky. But you curled up next to me on a tiny bed and listened to me talk about nothing and laughed at my jokes, and suddenly it was like the best day ever... and it's always like that with you." He shrugged. "We get maybe half an hour here and there and I live for those moments. If I haven't told you I love you before it's only because the others always come back too soon."

Linka pulled his head down so that she could kiss him, unable to put her feelings into words.

"Babe," he murmured against her lips, "I'm still kinda worked up over here..."

"Good," she smiled and kissed him again, wrapping herself around him. "So am I."

 **To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 _~ Linka? Is everything alright? ~_

Ma-Ti's voice disturbed the Russian's sleep but for a few moments she couldn't process the words.

 _~ Linka? ~_

 _~ I am here... sorry Ma-Ti, I overslept. ~_

She felt his anxiety ebb away.

 _~ My apologies, you are normally awake by now, and I did not think Wheeler would be. ~_

Their friend was correct, he wasn't awake if the way he was breathing into the back of her neck was any indication. But since he was also very naked with his arms around her and his hands in places she'd rather not discuss with their youngest team-mate, she resolutely shut all thoughts of him out of her mind.

 _~ I do not sleep well when there is a storm. Are you and the others setting out soon? ~_

 _~ We are already on the way. We should be with you in..._ ~ he paused as he consulted the others and Linka's heart sped up as she waited to find out if they were about to be discovered, _~ about an hour. ~_

She breathed a sigh of relief, _~ We will be ready. ~_

After Ma-Ti signed off, Linka carefully disengaged from Wheeler's embrace and slid out of the sleeping bag.

After a short inner debate she gathered her things but wrapped a towel around herself instead of dressing. Then she quietly left the tent and made her way down to the water's edge.

Leaving her clothes on an out-cropping of rocks, along with the towel, she slipped into the water and sighed as the cool liquid covered her body. Submerging completely, Linka relaxed back, letting it help her aching muscles, and finally allowed herself to sort through the memories and feelings of the night before.

They hadn't rushed. Wheeler had explored every inch of her body, always gentle, always tender, until she had practically been ready to beg him to take things further. She'd done her own share of exploring as well, enjoying their closeness as she learned what he liked.

When she'd hesitated or got embarrassed he'd made her laugh and when they finally joined, sharing themselves fully, he'd told her again that he loved her.

Smiling, Linka closed her eyes and turned her face up to the sun, enjoying the warmth.

 _ **"Linka!"**_

She was startled from her reverie by Wheeler's panicked cry and she moved quickly to the bank, raising her head over it, "Yankee? What is wrong?... Bozhe moy!"

The last was in the realisation that he was still naked, but apparently unconcerned by it as he ran across the camp-site and lowered himself into the water with more haste than grace.

"Fucking hell that's cold!" He exclaimed, not stopping however until he was in front of Linka, "Are you OK?"

"Da, of course I am." She answered, confused. Placing a hand over his heart she could feel it beating wildly, "What is the matter?"

Wheeler put his arms around her tentatively, holding her like she was made of china. "You were gone, I didn't know if... I mean I promised we'd take it slow but then you woke up and... you were upset, I shouldn't have... but you wanted... just don't hate me, ok?"

"Oh Jason, I am sorry," her heart clenched as she realised what he was thinking and she put her hands up to cradle his face, "I did not mean to frighten you, I just let you sleep in because you did not get much sleep last night."

"You were gonna kiss me good morning," he suggested, still seeming a little wary.

Linka leant in to kiss him and was relieved when he tightened his embrace and returned the gesture. When they parted he was smiling and she decided it was OK to joke with him a little, "It also occurred to me that if I woke you up we would still be in bed when the others arrived, and I do not think they could be persuaded to leave us there."

He chuckled but he wouldn't be distracted that easily, "you're really ok with this?"

"Making love with you?" She nodded.

"And being my girlfriend?"

She smiled, "I was always ok with that, it was the idea that you did not want to be in a committed relationship that bothered me."

"I did, I do!" He said immediately.

"I know that now." She kissed him again, not able to help herself.

They took their time, just holding each other and sharing kisses, but also recapturing the intimacy of the night before.

When at last they got out to dry off and Wheeler had retrieved a towel from his tent - although he was still walking about with a lack of modesty that made Linka's cheeks burn even as it drew her gaze - he asked, "Will you go with me to America?"

She nodded, "Da. Will you go with me to Russia next month? It is Mishka's birthday and he has made a point of asking me to go this year but we have so little time off, and I do not want to miss time with you either."

He walked over to her - now mostly decent with only a bare chest - and pressed his lips to hers in a leisurely manner before answering, "I will follow you anywhere."

"I love you." She blushed but met his eyes, "I know I should have said it last night but I was a little overwhelmed." He stared at her as if in a trance so she said it again. "I love you."

This time she only just got to finish the sentence before he pulled her into a fierce embrace.

"You don't know how happy I am right now," he told her at last but she gave him an adoring smile and assured him that she had a good idea.

"It is like you said, any time we get to spend together is the best part of the day and now it means even more." Her look turned shy but she didn't turn away. "Last night was incredible."

He nodded, love shining in his eyes but before she could continue they heard the unmistakable voices of their friends approaching through the trees.

Wheeler sighed and placed one brief kiss to her lips. He lowered his voice so that it wouldn't carry, "You still gonna share my tent or do we need to hustle and make it look all innocent?"

"What would you prefer?"

"What do you think I would prefer? I want you with me." He told her, "I don't want you to be made uncomfortable though and I can guess how they'll all react."

Smiling up at him, the Russian gave a little shrug, "I will cope. I want to stay with you, but let us 'hustle' to get everything we need and then zip the tent closed. Then at least we can concentrate on the mission today and deal with that conversation later."

Wheeler nodded and then glanced in the direction of their friend's voices, before turning back to her with a cheeky grin. They still had a few minutes before they came in sight and he wanted one more kiss...

 **The end**


End file.
